Report: NFL Never Asked Casino for Ray Rice Tape

9 Sep 2014

The NFL reportedly never asked for the surveillance footage of Ray Rice knocking out his then-fiancee in an elevator even though someone affiliated with the league reportedly saw the video. The casino reportedly made copies of the video for police and Rice’s lawyer and would have gladly given the league one as well.

According to TMZ, which released the surveillance video on Monday that got Rice cut from the Ravens and suspended indefinitely from the NFL, “The NFL NEVER contacted the casino to request video of Ray Rice brutalizing his fiancee” and “Commissioner Rodger Goodell made his disciplinary decision in the dark”:

Sources connected with the Revel Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City tell TMZ Sports … NO ONE from the NFL ever asked for the video inside the elevator … video that was compelling enough to get Rice instantly fired.

Sources who worked at the casino at the time of the incident tell us … if the NFL had asked for the video, they would have gladly complied. Former employees have told us someone with an affiliation to the NFL saw the video, but we are now certain that someone was not from Goodell’s office or the core NFL executives.

Multiple sources tell TMZ Sports … the casino made a copy of the elevator surveillance video for police. We’re also told Rice’s lawyer had a copy of the video, which he got in the criminal case.

The NFL initially suspended Rice for two games in a move that was widely criticized.